The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe {Ever}
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The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe – A one bowl chocolate cake recipe that is quick, easy, and delicious! Updated with gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free options!
The best chocolate cake recipe. Ever? There are plenty of claims for the best chocolate cake recipe. I get that. But with one bite of this decadent, moist chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, every single person around the table commented that this was the best chocolate cake they’d ever tasted.
So as for my house, this chocolate cake recipe now holds that honor.
As the compliments continued, I didn’t begin to tell them how easy it was to make.
In all honesty, it is probably one of the easiest cakes I’ve made in a long time, really, but I just smiled and thanked them.
As we continued on gobbling up the cake, drinking our coffee or iced cold milk, the compliments just kept coming.
Then the requests for the recipe started.
That’s generally when you know that folks really like what you’ve made if they ask for the recipe and tell you for what event they plan to serve it.
As a cook, that really is one of the highest compliments you can receive – well, at least in my book.
The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe Ever
It was great to hear that they thought the cake was just as good after their last bite as they thought it was with their first.
Here’s another great thing about this recipe. The cake batter really can be made in a bowl without the use of a heavy duty mixer. Of course, that just makes things easier, but this is easily a recipe my Grandmother would have enjoyed making in her tiny kitchen with a whisk and a bowl. And I’m sure it would have turned out perfectly, too.
I’m not going to kid you, this makes a very rich, moist chocolate cake recipe. So if you are a faint of heart chocolate cake person, this is not the cake for you.
Based on the Old Fashioned Hershey’s recipe, I sort of went a bit heavy-handed with some changes testing cake after cake until I got it just the way I wanted it, but the end result was oh so worth it. The crumbs left on the plate gave that away.
Ingredients
For this chocolate cake, you’ll need the following ingredients.
- all-purpose flour
- sugar
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- espresso powder – I give more information on the espresso powder below
- milk – you can also use buttermilk, almond milk, oat milk, or coconut milk
- oil – you can use vegetable, canola or melted coconut oil
- eggs – when baking, I like to use room temperature eggs
- vanilla extract
- boiling water
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by spraying them with baking spray or buttering and lightly flouring them. You can also spread the pans with my homemade chocolate cake goop (pan release).
Whisk dry ingredients. Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.
Mix in wet ingredients. Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter until well combined.
Bake. Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the chocolate cake comes out clean.
Frost. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely. Frost with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.
Espresso Powder
One of the ingredients that really made this cake recipe come to life, in my opinion, was the addition of espresso powder in both the chocolate cake and in the chocolate frosting.
If you’ve not tried a bit of espresso when baking with chocolate, you really should.
The espresso works to elevate the flavors in much the same way as vanilla extract and I now think of it as an essential part of my spice cabinet.
Espresso powder is easy to find at the grocery store or even online if your grocer doesn’t stock it normally, but I use it fairly frequently and it can become a little pricey. I’ve started making my own homemade espresso powder and since I have I’m not looking back! It is so easy to make and have on hand!
Believe me when I say, it is very much worth the effort to have just for those times you are baking with chocolate!
So my friends, if you have a chocolate cake lover in your midst, make them this cake. If they’ve had a bad day this is certainly something that will brighten it for them. If they’ve had a great day, then this chocolate cake is a great way to celebrate with them!
Let me just say again, this amped up classic chocolate cake + this Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe = the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had!
How to Make Ahead and Store the Homemade Chocolate Cake:
Both the cake and the chocolate frosting can be made ahead. Allow the cakes to cool completely, wrap them well in plastic wrap and place each layer into a gallon zip-top freezer bag. Freeze the cake layers for up to one month.
To frost the cake, simply remove from the freezer and allow to thaw in the refrigerator with wrapping intact. Then, frost the cake once it has completely thawed.
Store the cake at room temperature on the counter. I like to store under a cake dome to keep the cake fresh.
Chocolate Cake Modifications You May Be Interested to Know About:
Note that I have updated the recipe to include some additional ingredients that I have tested through the years. I have found that this chocolate cake is even more versatile than I originally imagined! I’ve listed some of the modifications I’ve tested that I think may be of interest to you.
As a Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Recipe:
To make the cake as a gluten-free chocolate cake recipe, I’ve successfully used an equal amount of gluten-free flour in place of the all-purpose flour listed in the recipe.
As a Dairy-Free Chocolate Cake Recipe:
To make the cake a dairy-free chocolate cake recipe, I’ve used almond milk as well as coconut milk in place of the dairy. While not dairy-free, I’ve also used buttermilk in place of the milk with great results.
As an Egg-Free Chocolate Cake Recipe:
To make the cake an egg-free chocolate cake recipe, I’ve used 2/3 cup of unsweetened applesauce in place of the 2 large eggs in the recipe. You will note that you may have to bake the cake just a few minutes more. Be sure to check with the skewer for doneness.
I’ve also used Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer with great success.
To Use Butter and Other Oils:
I have tested the chocolate cake recipe with additional oils, as well as butter. I’ve tested using an equal amount of melted coconut oil to the vegetable oil called for in the recipe. I’ve also tested using the same volume of melted butter in place of the oils in the chocolate cake. While it does make the cake texture slightly different, it is still delicious and worth trying if you’d prefer to use butter in place of oils in your chocolate cake.
Whew! See what I mean! This is the chocolate cake of everyone’s dreams, I think!
The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe {Ever}
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (396 g) sugar
- 3/4 cup (63 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (9 g) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (2.8 g) kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon (2.3 g) espresso powder, homemade or store-bought
- 1 cup (227 g) milk, or buttermilk, almond, or coconut milk
- 1/2 cup (99 g) vegetable oil, or canola oil, or melted coconut oil
- 2 large (100 g) eggs
- 2 teaspoons (9.4 g) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (227. g) boiling water
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray, buttering and lightly flouring, or brushing them with homemade chocolate pan release.
For the chocolate cake:
- Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.
- Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter until well combined.
- Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the chocolate cake comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely.
- Frost the cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.
Notes
1. Kosher salt – I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. If you substitute with Morton’s Kosher salt, fine sea salt, or table salt, you will only need half the amount of the salt called for in the recipe. 2. Milk – The grams in the recipe are for whole milk and buttermilk.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Do let me know how you like it.
Here are a few additional ways I like to make this cake!
Chocolate Cupcakes
If you are looking for cupcakes from this recipe, I’ve shared my recipe for the best chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting. This recipe makes a perfect dozen so that you can scale the recipe to make as many chocolate cupcakes as you need! Talk about easy! 🙂
9×13 Chocolate Cake
I love this version! It is a delicious, scaled-down version that is just the thing for potlucks, reunions, tailgates, and travels perfectly! I’ve also scaled-down the frosting so that has the frosting to cake ratio that my family prefers. It is a definite winner!
Large Chocolate Sheet Cake
Scaled for a crowd, this recipe bakes beautifully in a rimmed half sheet baking sheet and is perfect for all sorts of get-togethers. Think of it as the 9×13’s big brother! 🙂 This recipe features Fudge Icing, but you can definitely substitute the icing for whatever you fancy!
And there you have it. There are so many ways to enjoy this delicious cake. Practically one for whatever need you might have. But, if I’ve missed one, be sure to let me know and I’ll work on it for you! 🙂
Many of you have asked if there is a way to make a Vanilla Cake Recipe that is just as delicious. Well friends, I’ve tested and tested and tested and now can proudly say – YES! I’ve shared the best Vanilla Cake I’ve ever tasted, too! 🙂
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Originally published 2012.
Literally the best chocolate cake I’ve ever put in my mouth… I can’t believe I baked it. Thank you for the fabulous recipe. I used 8” pans and took it out right at 30 mins. Absolutely perfect.
*note: cooling is important for proper release of the cake from the pan.
Thanks, Heather. I’m happy the cake turned out perfect for you.
Excellent chocolate cake; I enjoyed it I made it and it was so good, I ate the whole cake. Thank you for your recipe. I appreciate. Also, number one, I don’t really eat cake and I’m trying to learn how to bake. This was my first time baking cake an it came out excellent. I enjoyed it. I’m actually going to make it again. This time I won’t eat the whole cake myself, I’ll share with a couple of friends of mine, but thank you.I’m not a baker either and I’m learning how to do both. You have a blessed day.I don’t talk too much om Internet, but I just wanted to tell you thank you for your recipe was very good. God bless.
Blue, thank you so much for letting me know how well this cake turned out for you and how much you loved it.
Hi Robyn,
I made this cake last year and it was perfect!! I want to try this year by making the same but x2 rectangular cake tins. I’ve just realised I have one 13×11 inch but the second is a bit bigger 15x11inch. Can you suggest any adjustments to the recipe? I was going to use the double batter and make x2 double batter cakes. Shall I assume in the larger tin they bake quicker? 15min instead of 30min?
Veronica, you may want to check out the baking time and temp for my Best Chocolate Cake (9×13) Recipe. You can use the full recipe for the Best Chocolate Cake for the 9×13 cake. I haven’t made this cake in a 15×11-inch pan. I would make 1 1/4 times the recipe for the 11×14 pan. Baking times I have found this pan ranges from 325ºF for 35-40 minutes to 50-55 minutes.
This recipe is amazing. I’m a beginner cake baker and decorating. I’ve been making my kids birthday cakes for a few years. This recipe is perfect every single time. Do you have a recipe for red velvet?
Christina, I’m thrilled you love this chocolate cake. I do have a red velvet cake recipe. Just search for Red Velvet Cake Recipe. I hope you enjoy!
This cake was so simple to make yet soo
delicious. Loved it! Thanks for the amazing recipe! I am just now thinking we take recipe creaters for granted lol. Imagine you woke up one day and there was no such thing as finding recipes on the internet. We’d have to spend hours figuring recipes out by ourselves 🤣 Never realised how much we owe you guys! Thanks for your efforts ❤️
Thank you, Maahi, for your kind words. I’m so glad you loved the cake.
OMG! I’ve made this recipe twice now and the first time was for my mom’s birthday. I made her cupcakes with the poster’s chocolate frosting and I wrapped them up so they wouldn’t lose any moisture. They were so unbelievably moist and delicious! people were fighting over them!
The second time was just last night for my hubby’s birthday. It was late when I got the cake in so I put it on a cooling rack in the fridge. I started to get worried that it dried out, and it did a little but it was crunchy the way brownies are and still moist inside! This is going to be my go-to chocolate cake from now on!
THANKS ROBYN!
Candace, thanks for telling me how well the cupcakes and cake turned out for you. I’m so glad everyone loved them. Hope your husband had a very happy birthday!
I haven’t baked a cake from scratch in years. I decided to make this one for a friend’s birthday. It was a huge hit;cake, frosting and all!
Made me feel like a professional;)
Thanks, Charlene! I’m so glad this cake was a hit for your friend’s birthday.
Made the chocolate cake with buttercream icing and it was a HIT!
Hi there , this cake was amazing 🤩 , I used to see it had options to make a larger batch but I cannot seem to get it back ☹️
Kelly, we have removed the options for double and tripling the recipe on the recipe card. Several people had problems with it. The amounts were not always correct in the Instructions and were confusing. for example, # 3 in the chocolate cake recipe states to distribute the batter evenly between two prepared pans. That number didn’t change when the recipe was doubled or tripled. Another example, Instructions in Southern Chocolate Cobbler states: In a separate bowl, mix 2 cups sugar and ½ cup cocoa powder. Sprinkle this topping mixture on top of the batter. The wording for the amount did not change when the recipe was doubled or tripled.
I only have 6 inch pans, set of 3. Should I divide the batter into 3 pans or 2 pans? How long would I bake them for. Thanks
Maahi, I haven’t made this cake in 6-inch pans but I have had several people say they bake this cake in 3 6-inch pans and bake at 350ºF for about 25 minutes. Also, others have made 2/3 the recipe for the 3 6-inch pans. I hope you enjoy!
this is my favorite chocolate cake, however DO NOT remove from the pan before allowing it to completely cool. 10 minutes is NOT ENOUGH and your cake will break apart. ive had to throw cakes away.
Meghan, I always remove the cake from the pan after the 10 minutes cooling time. To get the cake to release easily from the pan, make sure to grease the pan really well, then coat the pan with flour or cocoa powder. When the cake has finished baking, place it on a trivet or cooling rack so that air can circulate on the bottom of the pan, too. Don’t let the cake cool longer than 10 minutes in the pan. Once the layers have cooled for the 10 minutes, place a wire rack on top of the cake. Place your hands with oven mitt, one on top of the wire rack and one on the bottom of the cake pan like a sandwich and flip the pan over. The cake should easily slide out onto the rack. Let the cake layers continue to cool on the rack. I hope this helps.
This is such a spectacular recipe. Only chocolate cake recipe I’ve been using for years now. The only thing I’ve found is that the accompanying buttercream frosting recipe yields too much – I’ve reduced that to 65% of the original and the ratio is perfect for us. So, so good.